SOC 101B:
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Spring,
2005
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MWF Glatfelter 301 Instructor: Jean L.
Potuchek Email: jpotuche@gettysburg.edu |
Office: Glatfelter 008 Office Hours: M 1-2;
W 2-4; TH 9-11; F 1-3; and by appointment Telephone: 337-6196 |
Sociology is a social science discipline that examines human
behavior and human experience in relation to its social context. Because we are all already acting within a
social context, you will find that you already know a great deal about the
topics that sociology addresses. At
the same time, however, because American culture has a strong emphasis on the
individual and most often uses a psychological perspective to understand
human behavior and experience, most Americans find the insights of the
sociological perspective surprising and unexpected. This course will introduce you to the basic tools of sociology –
the concepts, theoretical perspectives, and research methods that
sociologists use to understand human behavior and experience. By the end of the course, you should be
able to use those tools (a) to perceive and critically examine the social
structures and social processes that affect your life and the world around
you and (b) to read published work written by sociologists. The course will also provide you with an
opportunity to develop research and writing skills. The
following required books for the course are available for purchase at the
college bookstore: John J. Macionis and Nijole V. Benokraitis, Seeing Ourselves: Classic, Contemporary
and Cross-Cultural George Ritzer,
The McDonaldization of Society, revised
new century edition. (Ritzer) In addition,
the following guide to writing is also recommended for students in the
course: Wayne C. Booth,
Joseph M. Williams, and Gregory G. Colomb, The Craft of Research (2nd edition) Attendance
and Participation – Both research and my
own teaching experience indicate that almost everyone
learns best through active engagement.
Thus, students are expected to attend class regularly and to
participate actively in class discussion.
Missing more than 1 class during the semester or remaining silent
during class discussions will have a negative impact on your final grade for
the course. In order to be prepared
for participation of high quality, you should complete the reading listed on
the syllabus for each day before coming to class. Weekly
Analyses – This assignment will provide
students with an opportunity to practice using the tools of sociology to
understand their own experience.
Weekly analyses will be due in at the first class session of each week
(usually Monday). Each weekly analysis
will be a 2-3 page (typed, double-spaced) application of one or more key
ideas or concepts from the previous week’s classes to some aspect of your
experience outside the course. Papers – Students will also complete 3 longer (3-5 page) and
more formal papers during the semester.
Instructions for each of these papers will be handed out in class at
least two weeks before the due date. Exams –
There are two (primarily) in-class exams for the course, a
mid-term scheduled for Friday March 11 and a final exam scheduled for
Saturday, May 7. Due Dates
and Lateness Policies Written
assignments are due at class time ( Grading Your basic grade for the course
will be computed according to the following formula:
The grade computed on the basis
of your written work may then be adjusted up or down as much as two fractions
of a grade to reflect the quality of your preparation for and participation
in class discussions. Blackboard
Web Site An
extensive web site for this course is maintained in Blackboard. There you will find copies of course
documents and assignments, a glossary of key concepts, links to supplementary
information, and other helpful material.
To get into the site, go to CNAV and click on the “Blackboard” link
for this course in your “this semester” listing. Log in to Blackboard using the same
username and password that you use for CNAV. COURSE SCHEDULE
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